Salute to Papa

CSKA Honorary President’s Alexander Gomelsky Birthday for our team was marked by visit to Vagankovskoye Cemetary where all the players, coaches and staff laid flowers on Papa’s grave.

“Your victories are the best memorial for Papa, - the son of great coach Vladimir Gomelsky said. – He is happy for your successes looking from above.” “We do our best”, - our club’s president Andrey Vatutin confirmed.

CSKA delegation was joined by the representatives of Team USSR which won 1988 Olympics with Gomelsky as a head coach – doctor Vasily Avramenko and physiotherapist Vladimir Belyakov. Doctor Avramenko saluted Papa from the name of that great team, telling touching story about Arvidas Sabonis and other Olympic champions who are always tending to visit the grave of the man considered as the best basketball coach in history.

After that all the visitors laid flowers and shared the moment of silence. The Father of Soviet and Russian basketball could turn 82 today.